INTRODUCTION - PSALMS OF ASCENSION: Read Psalm 120
Each of these Psalms: 120-134, have the title: "Psalms of Ascension". They are a collection of songs sung by the Pilgrims - "songs of desire and hope" - as they travelled to the Temple in Jerusalem for their annual feasts - "religious ceremonies" - Passover, Pentecost and the Tabernacles." They are named so, because the final leg of the journey to Jerusalem takes the pilgrims on a"steep hike".
In the ancient world there were places in which God's presence dwelled for a time, but it was in Jerusalem where his "presence had a house" - the Temple. Solomon built the Temple and the glory of God "dwelled within." For this reason, Jerusalem became central to the life and worship of Israel. Every year, the faithful among the believers - God's people, would travel to Jerusalem to worship the Lord in the Temple. It was likely that Jesus Himself would have sungs these songs in His many journeys to Jerusalem from Galilee. Psalm 120 is the first of these Ascension Hymns.
DISTRESS FROM DECEITFUL, LYING PEOPLE - Read Verses 1&2
"In my distress I cried to the Lord and He heard me. Deliver my soul, O Lord, from the lying lips and deceitful tongues." Psalm 120:1&2 (NKJV)
The Psalmist remembered God's past faithfulness in his present need. He asked the Lord to rescue him from false accusers. The Psalmist desccribed the nature of his distress: evil words spoken against him from "lying and deceitful tongues". The lies in our soul needs deliverance from not just the lies said about us, but also "to us" - lies about God, that bring us down as we travel.
"When we are slandered, it is joy that the Lord knows us, and cannot be made to doubt our uprightness. He will not hear this lie against us, but bhe will hear our prayer against the lie." Charles Spurgeon
"Many Psalms, like this one, are full of reference to the sins of the tongue - lies, scandal, slander and hypocrisy. The followe of God may suffer as much from what people say than what they do."
Pat & David Alexander
THE DESTINY OF THE DECEITFUL PERSON - Psalm 120:3&4
"What shall be given to you, oh what shall be done to you? You false tongue? Sharp arrows are the warriors, will coals of the bronze tree." Psalm 120:3&4 (NKJV)
In these verses, the Psalmist shifted from his praise to God, to speak at the "false tongue", of those who cause his distress. He warned these lying lips of "what shall be done to them". The false tongues of the Psalmist's enemies will soon know the "sharp arrows". They would be cast our like "dangerous missiles". The "sharp arrows of judgement" would come against them.
"The liar, wounding though his weapons are, will be destroyed with far more potent shafts than lies: God's arrows of TRUTH and coals of JUDGEMENT." (Kidner - cited by David Guzik).
LIVING IN A TROUBLED PLACE - Read Psalm 120:5&6
"Can we trust God to intervene in the heart of a worship so that he does not carry an evil intent? According to the Bible the answer is "YES". We can trust God." Jerry Bridges
"How terrible it is for me to live in the land of Meschach, to live among the people of Kedar."
Psalm 120:5 (NKJV)
This verse finds the Psalmist lamenting about just how far he lives from Jerusalem. This is a poetic way of saying, "he is living among savages". MESHECH was a distant place, far from the land of Israel. KEDAR was a nomadic place associated with the nomatic tribes that lived in the lands surrounding Israel.
"Meschech and Tubal are there, with all their hordes around their graves. They once struck terror in the hearts of people everywhere. But now they are outcasts, slaughtered by the sword." Ezekial 36:26 (NLT)
"Advance against Kedar! Destroy the warriors from the East! Their flocks and tents will be captured and their household goods and camels will be taken away. Everywhere, shouts of panic will be heard: We are terrorized at every turn." Jeremiah 48:28&29 (NLT)
The odd thing about these two places - MESCHECH AND KEDAR - is that they are nowhere near one another. It seems the Psalmist has chosen these two places, not because of their proximity, but because of their cultural similarities. Both groups of people "hate peace". Pilgrims heading to Jerusalem for their festivals may not be from Meschach and Kedar specifically, but they would be able to relate to the psalmist's woes. "There was no place like home."
"The verbs "dwell" and "live" are significantly chosen. Even though the psalmist may have enjoyed a permanent resident, he felt like he was no more a sojourner among his contemporaries, He did not feel at home with ungodly people". (Van Gemeran - cited by David Guzik),
"I have lived too long with people who hate peace." Psalm 120:6
The psalmist ached because he lived among the ungodly and was distant from Israel and God's people. He longed foor God's peace among his enemies, who had lying lips and hated peace.
PEACE IN GOD'S PRESENCE - Read Psalm 120:7
"I am for PEACE, but when I speak, they are for war." Psalm 120:7 (NIV)
The psalmist longed for GOD'S PEACE. He wanted to be in God's presence with "overwhelming, inexhaustible and unending PEACE". In the Hebrew Old Testament the word "peace" was usually translated as "Shalom" - wholeness, contentment and security. In this world "true Shalom" is hard to come by; it's easy to feel far away from home, yet in Christ, there is no need to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
"But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought us PEACE was upon Him and by His wounds we are healed." Isaiah 53:5 (NIV)
"Jesus was a man of PEACE......He lived to make PEACE "by the blood of His cross"; He died to complete it." (Pierce, cited by Charles Spurgeon).
God makes His home within us by the Holy Spirit. This is why Jesus said:
"PEACE, I leave with you; MY PEACE I give unto you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14:27 (NIV)
The Shalom (peace) of God's presence is ours, if we choose to embrace it. Can you help to make peace? BE A PEACEMAKER.
"In his whole being the Psalmist longs for the establishment of PEACE. " (Van Germen - cited by David Guzik)
"Blessed are the PEACEMAKERS, for they will be called children of God." Matthew 5:9 (NIV)
The Psalmist spoke words of peace and goodness, to represent and promote these values in His own community. Yet every time he did this, the response was hostile, characteristic of those who "are of war". At least for a while he needed better company - and he would find it among the pilgrims, who came to Jerusalem, sharing in the songs of Ascension.
CONCLUSION - Read Psalm 12
This makes Psalm 120 a fiting start to the "Songs of Ascension."As the pilgrim's journey to Jerusalem began. The psalmist was mindful of the weariness they endured, living apart from a supportive community of God's people. They needed this trip at Feast time and they needed the larger community of travellers.
Like those who chose to make this "trek to Jerusalem, we have to "make a conscious decision to practice the peace of God's presence". We need to live as "citizens of the Kingdom" wherever we are. There's "NO PLACE LIKE HOME". Let's live like it!
"So the Psalm ends with a long drawn out sigh. It inverts the usual order of similar Psalms, , in which the description of need is want to precede the prayer of deliverance, which urges the soul to seel a better home. So this is a true pilgrim psaln." (MacLarem - city by David Guzik. "\
"The Holy Bible - New International Version", 2011, Biblica.
"The Holy Bible - New King James Version." 1982, Thomas Nelson
"The Holy Bible - New Living Translation", 2015, Tyndale House Publishers
ALEXANDER, Pat & David, "The Lion Handbook of the Bible", 2009, Lion Hudson Publishers
BRIDGES, Jerry, "Trusting God", 1988, Navigator Press
GRECO, John, "The Songs of Ascent - A Deviotional Adventure in the Book of Psalms", 2013, You Version
GUZIK, David, "The Prayer and Journey of the Outsider", 2020, www.enduringword.com
LUCADO, Max, "NCV Devotional Bible - Experience the Heart of Jesus", 2003, Thomas Nelson.
SPURGEON, Charles, "The Treasury of David - Commentary on Psalms", 1885/2021, Christianity.com
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